President Kiir demands South Sudan officials return stolen money

June 2, 2012 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has written to over 75 former and current government officials directly asking them to account for misappropriated funds.

Salva Kiir speaks to the media at the presidential guest house in Juba, on 26 May 2011 (Photo: Paul Banks/UNMIS)

Kiir in a statement released on Friday 1 June, said his letter to these officials was part of anti-corruption measures taken by the Juba government to end corruption and strengthen transparency and accountability in the newly independent country.

Over $1 billion, according to the recent country’s Auditor General’s report,
remained unaccounted for between 2005-06, in transfers of oil revenues
from the Government of National Unity - the power and wealth sharing
partnership in Khartoum created by 2005 peace deal - to the autonomous
Government of South Sudan (GoSS) in Juba.

"A letter was sent out last week to over seventy five former and current senior officials in an effort to recover stolen funds," reads a statement released by the Office of the President.

Most of the stolen funds, according to President, have been taken out of the country and deposited into foreign bank accounts, adding that some of these funds have been used for purchasing properties, often “paid in cash”.

The statement disclosed that Kiir has asked in a written letter sent to eight heads of states seeking their assistance in recovering about $4 billion, which are still unaccounted for, or were simply “stolen,” by unnamed officials well as individuals with close ties to government officials.

These states where the stolen money is supposed to have be transferred to are in Africa, United States, Middle East and Europe, the statement says.

In his letter to the concerned officials, Kiir said: "The people of South Sudan and the international community are alarmed by the level of corruption in South Sudan."

He emphasised that "corruption has no place in my government". He also denounced their selfishness while the South Sudanese are suffering from poverty and lack of basic services and infrastructure.

"The credibility of our government is on the line," the letter of 3 May stresses.

Last week, the Anti-Corruption Commission announced the recovery of $60 million stolen by different officials .

South Sudan has experienced difficult economic conditions since January due to the shut down of oil production as part of a dispute with Khartoum and is in dire need of money. Juba managed to borrow money from some countries but no solution to the oil dispute is on the horizon. Oil revenues accounted for 98% of South Sudan’s income before the shutdown.

“I am writing to encourage you to return these stolen funds (partial or full),” Kiir said, adding that, “If fund are returned, the Government of the Republic of South Sudan will grant amnesty and will keep your name confidential. I and only one other official will have access to this information.”

President Kiir also assured the public of his government’s commitment to probe those involved in corruption-related practices and the desire to hold them accountable through “critical decisions”. The stolen funds, he said, have deprived the country’s citizens of the much-needed heath care, education and other basic services.

Kiir often talks tough on corruption but critics say that he has, so far, not backed this up with action, citing the example that he has not granted the South Sudan Anti-Corruption Commission (SSACC) the power to prosecute officials suspected of corruption. No Southern Sudanese official has been prosecuted for corruption since South Sudan gained self-rule as part of the 2005 peace deal that led to secession last year.

The SSACC is reportedly reviewing 1,600 forms submitted by government officials in response to the declaration of assets call.

Last week, The US Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor accused South Sudan, in its annual report, of failing to "effectively implement the law, and officials continued to "engage in corrupt practices with impunity."

The report noted that despite public criticism of corruption by President Kiir, "it was a problem in all branches of government and was compounded by poor record keeping, lax accounting procedures, and the pending status of corrective legislation within the country".

The statement of the South Sudanese presidency outlined a number of measures
reportedly undertaken by his government in the past six months to combat corruption as well as strengthen transparency and accountability in the world’s newest nation. These include;

Appointing a new Chairperson of Anti-Corruption Commission

A letter was sent out to over twenty five (25) current and former

senior government officials in an effort to recover stolen funds

Several presidential decrees were issues to strengthen transparency and tackle corruption

An estimated 500 Declaration of Assets forms were returned by both former and current officials

The Anti-Corruption Commission handed its final report on the Declaration of Assets to President Salva Kiir late May 2012

The Government of the Republic of South Sudan has opened a bank account in Kenya so that stolen funds can be returned to this account

The Anti-Corruption Commission has recovered an estimated $60m from various sources from fraudulent transactions and misappropriation of funds by government institutions

In January 2012, President Salva Kiir Mayardit sent eight letters to heads of states in Africa, the US, the Middle East and Europe seeking assistance in the recovery of funds stolen by former and current South Sudan officials

Multiple investigations have been underway since January 2012 in an effort to recover stolen funds.

(ST)

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Kind regards,

The Sudan Tribune editorial team.

2 June 2012 10:39, by Akol Liai Mager

There is will and courage in South Sudan when it comes to dealing with wrong doing, but the big problem is with North Sudan where practicing theft, stealing public money and seal-lips.

SEE ME/Darkangel,
Sudanese and South Sudanese have just common problems. Corruption is one the worst things they share. I am not at all happy about these South Sudanese guys in echelon of power looting the country. But at the same time I bemoan how one man Beshir could just be allowed to carry away a whole 9 billion USD alone. Then count Tahas, Nafies, Mustafas, Goshs etc. you can even cry!

mr kirr is kidding,,by this statement kirr wanted to meet the growing pressure on him by the west,un and america, accusing key figures in spla of stealing millions of dollars of south sudan money...we are sure kirr can not do any thing about it because (a snake with a rat in his mouth can not bite).do you think kirr can ask pagan,riak,deng alor or any one??.

You are the most dirty ass person I haven’t seen in my life. You just put your dirty mouth in anything even something you do not know anything about it. I do not know how to call you here, dog, cat,rat, anything. Is Islam which is making you mentally retarded !!!! Son of SHIT

Akol, what courage you are talking about? Do you expect a theief to come back and tell : here is your money back, am so sorry for stealing your money.There will be courage if he send them to court for starving the " rich & wealthy" pple of SS. They should be punished for every child who diead of hunger or disaese.He should, as a president of the state protect & implement the law......con

con:The law says the theif should be punished.It is just laughable to have 75 senior offical who are theieves.Mind you, that is almost 1.5 billions,the audotor general reported more than 1.3 billions not ACCOUNTED for!There is more than that on paper but was embezeled and stolen by the less senior staff, for example salaries for fake names! Clearly the president is saying:SPLA is a punch of thievs

Mohammed, be ashamed. In Islam your arms must be amputated if you steal, but we hear no arms of Bashir, Nafie and others cut off because of the oils and lands they stole from South Sudan. If God law is not respected, how could you think respecting human law be easy? Please start cutting off Bashir’ hands, Nafie’s, hands etc., before you are talking of South Sudanese theft problems and solutions.

The aggravating factors for bad behavior and corruption of our officials are ourselves. In a corruption message by President, here we fight between comparisons of north and south. Citizens in the South should focus on issues in South and ask Kirr to bring stolen money back to the people and the corrupted to justice. Push for that!!!!!

Cont’: as to Mohamed, see me, probably from north Sudan. Keep pressing the fall of Beshir and other corrupted officials as they starve north Sudanese people and should be brought to justice. I am appealing to you all to leave the narrow minded politics and collectively fight for justice and anti-corruption both in the South and North as both have appalling corruption records. Peace for all of us!!

Daniel, no doubt that you will defend your thieves collegues, because you bought your nice villa " in cash" with the money of the poor starving& marginalized pple of SS. Kiir got this information from foreign intelligence services, no way he could know that you purchased your mansion in cash, something no Australian coud do!Roreign supporter stopped funding SS because of your robery & thuggery.

There is no doubt that the splm is a party of corruption and they don’t know country belong to all citizens. Southern Sudan does not solely belong to members of splm they need to understand that any single coin they steal will be asks to pay back even though it takes many years.

AKOL LIAI, north has nothing to do with coruption commited inside south sudan. it’s the greedy tribe that go about swindling national funds. blame north on security matters. accepting mistakes and be forgiven other than throughing blame on somebody for your mistakes. salva kirr wrote the letters to south sudanese not northerners. be judgemental. why suport corruption? could you be one? then stop!

Kiir take strong order otherwise it will spoil your country name as the new Nation full of theives,have a secret meeting with the official involve in this act and let them rescue this nation from economic dropping,please hurry up for this.

SEE ME, What so ever you posted to this website is about jeolious and hatrated with out any politics and matured comments.I will not blame you,the blindfool African by Arabs who masscared his own people because of food and power greediness as your uncle Ahamed Harun.I knew your mum was raped by Arabs then conceived with you as your mother’s stressed of what happen to her,then she gave birth.

Though these measures came very late, but might be good steps at right directions, I think President speak in volume as he knew some places where these money were kept, since those official didn’t show a sign of cooperation in these matters then the president himself should request from Presidents of those countries he wrirten letter to hand him all account balances of those corrupted officials

whether in term of cash or properties because some of them are allegedly bought very expensive mansions abroad, including western world and Africa. It should be the direct contact with these countries to release those stolen money the South Sudan Government.

IT IS TIME FOR REFORMATION
The enabling word today to the nations of the earth and most especially South Sudan and her sons is the message of reformation. The word Reformation in Greek is the word Diorthosis. It means to make a structure adjustment, to make straight again that which has become misaligned by putting it back to correct order or form. It also means rectification.

MR PRESIDENT WHY IS REFORMATION NECESSARY?
Because the goal of the reformation (genuine reformation) is to come to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Nation to be perfect Nation, and grow up in all things.

Sorry Kiir keep appointing thieves again and again and again the people you are requesting to return the stolen money. Now this doesn’t make sense? why appoint them in the first place? we all know who they are, yet you seem oblivious as to their true identity, you are the cause of this mess.

TANGIBLE ALMS OR INTANGIBLE DIVINE RESOURCES?
Alms mean donations, handouts, collections, charitable donation to the poor, compassionate and merciful handouts. Instead of stealing what we receive from others is better to injecting it to empowering Ten state to see hidden riches in the earth, by creative and innovative grace of God bestowed on the Nation.

SEE ME,
How much of a google time did you make everyday? You have misled yourself quite enough. Please don’t try now to mislead others. I have been trying so carefully to see you. I am sad to say that "I have completely seen NOTHING in you" The degrees you’ve repeatedly talk about do not portray any intellectual power in all your arguments.Because of people like you, al Beshir became God in Sudan

NIF looters know very well that claiming compensation from the people whom they have looted their resources for nearly 20 years would cost them dearly. Just FYI, NIF has used South Sudan Oil Revenues to arm itself to teeth is an issue being taled by South Sudan negotiators so don’t rush to it, it is coming.

Halleluya!! The MAFIAS of S. Sudan are going to vomit the stolen money of the pple, what a wonderful thing made by God! Kiir is the head of the current mafias and now he is intimidating them of displaying their names. This means that he has rebelled from the group and this is very critical for him. He taught them how to loot and now wants to arrest them, what a joke?

The 2 million dollars recovered by anti-corruption officials was from Kiir and Reik I suspect, now they are scapegoating the rest of the thieves.....and I don’t care what they do!!!! money must be returned period!!!

The so called education person in Southern Sudan is a devil, the one consuming everything with out producing anything..The one that sits in the official and wait for foreign loan and oil money...Big Devil!!!!..Who does not care about naked children in the cattle camp.

Wow $4 Billions, who steal all those money in search a small country?, how did $4 billions get out of banks to thefs? Wheren’t all this money taken out of banks electronically? I am so shocked.I say jail all officials and let each one bail himself/herself out by bring the money or by giving an explanation that would help in recovering money. Isn’t $4 billions the money need to build pipeline?

When a shopkeeper goes broke, he turns to his old books to see whether he owes anybody money.

Well for Kiir’s method of blackmailing his camrades into returning stolen funds, Donors should immediately suspend all financial assistance to GoSS- including loans. This will definately serve as a catalyst to speed up the process of recovering the stolen funds.

AMERICA AND EUROPE WILL SIDELINE THIS GOVERNMENT UNTILL THEY FIX THE LOOPHOLES FOR MONEY HAMORRAGE.THE CIVILLIANS WILL BE ASSISTED WITH MATERIALS AND FOOD TO KEEP THEM ALIVE.IF CORUPTION AND OTHERS SERIOUS CASES MENTIONED BY ANALYLISTS ARE NOT CORRECTED,THEN AMERICA WILL SEE OTHER MEANS OF PUNISHING THIS MONEY MAFIA.

Ambago, the donors are saying recover the goods or no more money for you to gobble up. Salva kiir is trying to trick donors by blackmailing his accomplices to restore the flow of cash to his crime syndicate. What a wicked man!

i cant believe that you put **Anti-Aircraft defense system** as first thing which south sudanese need..........south sudan needs food then weapons........its better to die from an airstrike than from hunger.....hunger is painful......

Northern Sudanese,
Who told you South Sudanese are hungry? Please present only facts. Tell me how can a desert like North Sudan could have more food than a fertile South Sudan? The problem of South Sudan all over the past decades was wars and overdependence on oil. This year no one will buy food.Intensive Agricultural campaigns have helped.Anti-Aircraft defense system is surely on its way HERE.

I personally give president Salva Kiir some credit for stepping up the pressure and for taking responsibilty for what happened under his leadership. However, a parlimentry hearing would be a good obtion in trying to resolve this corruption issue, because somebody must be hold accountable, and must pay for her/his action.

Do not compare other countries with your country Republic Of Sudan. Your ideology is similar to extraterrestrial beings from another planet, nobody in this world can reason with you. You think contrary to humans Good is evil, peace is war, light is darkness, life is death, lies is truth

You know nothing about white man? I’ve lived with them for 22 years,so don’t lecture me about them. Your people think we have been brainwashed by white man therefore it is necessary evil to force Islam on us and decide what is good for us. This mentality comes originate lucifer (Satan) the prince of darkness

your excellency the word of mouth are not enough for those people who embezzle public funds to return them back, what we need is to hand them to anti-corruption commission to investigate and prosecute them if the are found guilty. the are spoiling your gov’t indirectly if you don’t know so deal with them before it is too late. we need their names to be publish public.

South Sudan is a new country which don’t know corruption, we would like our people of Southern Sudan,to stop blaming the government.The workers should have great trust to keep their works.If people losse confident,what will be the hope for development.Opposition parties should have limite to their senses for blaming people.Who receive and deliver? unconcern to external countries!

Blaming people is like canning a fool to change,while she was innocient.The minister of financiac can control all things,not all people dirrect South Sudan enconomic development,trust keep professional stuff at work. Othrwise,government constitution may brings production to the country. None to change SPLM, ministers and governors.Because stop blaming!!!!!.

Nguetbuny de Luelpiny, you’re making good research, this what South Sudanese expected from their leaders after CPA, there was important say by Dr. John Garang after CPA was signed he say’ CPA does not meant total peace, it like two lambs fighting, sometime they took moment to retreat back and than resume to fight each others, this moment, one lamb will be terribly beaten. this was metaphor to

The leaders who remain on the charge of South Sudan affairs at moment might have not understood, if they could have knew what’s mean then there were no reasons we shouldn’t acquire these sophisticated weapons, like for example, corrupted official has accumulated as much as $38 millions in foreign banks, so if Sukhoi-27 jet-fighter is $ 15 millions then the amount of $38 m can buy two of this Jet

I already know, MOST WANTED of those officials busted of embezzled public’s money belong to.....community known for [defection, cattlerustling, looting civilian etc.] Because this is the only community in SOUTH SUDAN where each leader fight for his/her own interest than for public. And if argue, each could quickly defect to arabs where he/she can be used by BASHIT against us. See MR SALVA is telling them AMNESTY like they always deserve it !

God is great one day our suffering under your hands will be paid for by you, your relatives, frinds,collegues in Annya one,2 and commrades in your struggle as the main claimed of the so called called corruption?

You are always fooling us by giving so many warnings, degrees,on corruption yet we only see new way you device to continue with the same acted with your group,why are you doing this?

1- How did you know the countries the money has been taken to yet is difficult to order them be freez and your own words bring them back to us if you are not part to them?
2-why don’t you want to keep their dignity and yours but leave us alone to resigned which will e the best way forward
so that

Why was the money taken in the first place? Was the law sleeping? It is really unfortunate that the public is in the hands of careless, unpatriotic rulers! All the time we heard Morhum Dut in the radio of liberation, we believed the sons of the land have come to rescue the People! Alas not the case.

Your Excellency’ you know when we hide or cover the crime or making it secret it is like you are encourging it, we need their name to be announce in our public media so they will not repeat it if they realy need to be the leader in RSS and they really respect their dignity’ and even if you give them your amnesty without border as it is known.

I believe that Dr. John has laid the foundation by words, so if we want to know what he said some years ago, you’ ll find that he said everything what left was just to connect the dots. New Sudan ideology, take town to people instead people to town, etc. and said something important about building legacy or reputation, what he said about Dr. Riek will be known in history as he stab the Movement

at the back, so matter what Dr. Riek try to improve himself he is no longer at there, still it will be difficult to remove from the minds of many people of South Sudan. The same way if President Kirr wants to left another legacy to People of South Sudan it will be up to him, because after 3years at least it’ll be difficult to remove from head of every South Sudanese that his Government was corrupt

Presiden Kiir,
You have no option except to areign these thieves in court of law. Opening an account in Kenya is not the solution S. Sudanese yearn for. Responsible citizen does not collaborate nor sympathize with thieves, otherwise the old agade applies that "Birds of the same feather fly together". If you don’t make public names of these thieves it may be understood that there is likelihood

that the name SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT appears among the 75 names of grand thieves of the new republic. There is no difference between african pet animal and these thieves who steal their own people hey claim to have fougt for. Shameful. TAKE THEM TO COURT IF YOU ARE INNOCENTLY RESPONSIBLE. South Sudanses are tired of organized banditry, legalized theft and regular robbery since 2005.

We wish Garang to be alive and answer our questions on corruption and development. Which kind of people are these on this planet, earth? Poor or completely lack of planning and humane feeling.
God is so meerciful that He allows thieves to punish his people on this earth.

GO, CAN YOU KINDLY TAKE SEVERE ACTION AGAINST THESE THIEVES IN SOUTH SUDAN?

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